


Red String

by grayveyard



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Canon too, M/M, One sided, Red String of Fate, idk what else to tag, multiple AUs, no happy ending for azami, two of em actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28854324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grayveyard/pseuds/grayveyard
Summary: Fate meant nothing to him.
Relationships: Izumida Azami/Sakisaka Muku, a bit of masumuku at the end
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	Red String

**Author's Note:**

> would like to point out that the AUs are divided into three- first (royalty) and second (pirate) are them alr in their adulthoods, while the last part is the Now, canon? not so canon but its them in the canon
> 
> WITHOUT FURTHER ADO <3 thank u ali for the beta!! hope u all can find this an enjoyable read

_I love you._

“Azami!”

He never expected this.

“I heard that you'll be appointed by the king as one of our knights!” The man covered in white clothing fit for a prince skipped towards Azami, a smile plastered on his face. “Well, by me. Though still, congratulations.”

Azami bowed down before his prince, the pink haired man promptly telling him to stop bowing right after. “Thank you, your highness," he replied. The air around them was relaxing, signalling a close relationship between the two. Though Azami never made any eye contact with the prince.

He was too conscious of his surroundings, of a certain thing tied to him.

This was what he never expected.

A red string, something so trivial that it practically became a part of life itself, was tied up to his finger. The other end was met with none other than the person right before him at the moment. It was obvious, the red glimmered with pride. But it felt as though Azami was the only one who could see it between the two.

They said red strings were only between you and your soulmate, someone who'd be by your side until death do the both of you apart, someone who'd learn to love you gradually no matter what.

So what if the other had another string attached to them, seemingly faded, not as glimmering and prominent as the one string that connected them to you.

What will you do?

Azami thought that the gods above must've hated him, made him so that he knew of the fact that his appointed soulmate belonged to another. It was even more painful when he took notice of the engagement ring on Muku's finger, just right after he noticed how his string was connected to Muku's own finger.

The same finger with said ring.

Time had passed by since then, and so Azami convinced himself that it was a mere error between the gods, or that he was so unfortunate that he'd be living on his own.

“I'm looking forward to it.”

_Stop smiling so casually like that_. If only he could say that. Who knew he'd let himself indulge in the red strings that his own feelings started growing on their own, so much even a soft smile pained his heart.

What he did after took the prince, himself, by surprise.

In a swift motion, the dark haired man bowed down to his knees. He didn't know what he was doing, why he did that, he didn't want to know how he looked like in the eyes of the prince before him. Probably that of a child finally meeting someone of the royal family for the first time, clumsy and reckless.

“I will,” certainty and pride were clear in his words—a subtle gentleness in it, Azami set his hand on top of his chest, “put your life above any other, prioritize your wellness over my own, and put my life on the line for you.”

As expected of a knight, one would say. Azami didn't know what came to him, but doing so felt right. Choirs of laughter ringed through out,

“Now now, stand up,” the voice felt close. A voice so soft the dark haired man's only wish was to hear it a hundred times over. Azami knew at that time, if he moved his face upwards, the only thing in his view would be the prince up close. He stayed still.

A chuckle was what muku gave him, probably entertained by such faith and loyalty. Azami felt a hand touching his shoulder,

“I know.”

_Even in a different time._

Cheers and chatters filled the whole place.

People were busying themselves with various liquors and cheering others on about the fight that triggered between one and the other.

Nothing new. Just crowds of pirates lounging around, no cannons and frictions, simply enjoying everyone's company by night time in their favorite local bar.

All except two captains.

“Izumida, this is not a warning.” A sword pointed to his neck, Azami lazily looked at the pink haired man behind the sword. “This is a threat, but I will not hesitate to cut your tongue if you—”

“—keep on bugging you and your dudes, yes I know.”

It was as if he's used to the whole ordeal—which he was—that always ended with the pink haired captain threatening him in more ways than one. All that over a simple banter and a gaze too long for comfort.

A click of a tongue was all it took for Azami to know that the pink haired man was done with his threatening. The sword unsheathed, Muku drilled holes into Azami with a glare.

And the man blended with the crowds.

Azami breathed in relief, pushing the strands of hair back and letting his feet lead him to wherever he could find a seat. He escaped pain once more. Even though a pain that can never be replaced stayed in his heart.

“You're in love with him now, aintcha kid?”

What a lovely way to be greeted. “Shut up, man," was his reply, kicking the other's leg as he sat down beside the man. “I'm not, dude just looks too pretty to not be looked at.” A lie he told a little too much that no one would even bother believing at this point.

The same answer, the same reason, the same situation.

It was as though Azami was tied to Muku, something about the older drew him closer. It wasn't completely wrong. A certain thing was indeed tying the two down.

A red string.

Who knew at this time of century that things like these would still exist. Probably only Azami. Or everyone else, keeping it to themselves because it felt childish and too cheesy. Something out of a fairy tale book they tell their children for bedtime stories.

Something Azami had suffered from ever since he met Muku.

The string itself wasn't the most bright, but it was visible enough to Azami that he would always stare at the thing. The thing that slowly started to fade the more it got closer to muku.

Azami didn't know why it was like that, but he knew one thing. Something destined together can grow apart over the slightest of frictions, something destined together can turn against one another when they meet someone they've loved for so long. For the dark haired man, both of them were the cases.

“Dunno, feels like he got me wrapped around his fingers.”

_In a different reality._

“Azami-kun!”

He snapped out of his daydream when he heard the cheerfulness in the person that called him.

“Yeah?”

“Masumi-kun said you were reading the mangas I gave him!” Azami gulped. “Was it good??”

The look Muku had was enough to make his mind go blank for another second. Expecting something, a child wanting the chocolate they had over and over a little too many times.

“It was good, I guess..”

“Haha, Masumi-kun said that too!” Here he went about Masumi again.

How he wished that was the same look muku would have every time he talked about him, the look full of love and affection. Of adoration and joy. He kept his gaze on Muku as the older went on and on about Masumi's, his boyfriend, reactions on the mangas.

He averted his gaze from him and towards the prominent, glaring red string tied to his finger and to Muku's.

Because a string is merely a string, he told himself so many times. Fate meant nothing if there was only one side loving the other.

_I love you._

**Author's Note:**

> thank you very much for reading this!! hope it wasnt too confusing help


End file.
